Fracking Turns 65 - Eagle Ford Shale Drilling Boom Made Possible by the Technology

March 18, 2014 Kirk Eggleston

On Monday, The American Petroleum Institute celebrated the 65th birthday of hydraulic fracturing or fracking. The technology is widely used across the Eagle Ford Shale, and has contributed significantly to Texas's current oil boom, giving many folks connected to the oil and gas industry in the state reason to celebrate.

According to a University of Texas at San Antonio study, the development of the Eagle Ford Shale had an economic impact of $61 billion on the region in 2012. That's not a small figure, and estimates for future exploitation of the tight oil formation through fracking are only expected to go up.

At the beginning of March 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released data placing the Eagle Ford at the head of the pack for oil production in Texas per well compared to six other U.S. domestic shale plays. The EIA credits horizontal drilling and fracking for the play's strong oil production.

Industry players and those connected to the industry maintain that fracking is safe.

“At the 2014 NAPE Winter Business Conference, Former Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, said, “I believe hydraulic fracking is safe… there is not a single case where fracking has caused an environmental problem for anyone.”

There is however strong opposition to fracking from some special interest groups, activists across the country and local residents living in areas impacted by the oil patch.

Since the drilling boom began in the Eagle Ford Shale, a steady up-tick in earthquakes in South Texas has been recorded. Scientists believe that could be linked to fracking and disposal and injection wells.

As the Eagle Ford continues to be developed, the practice of fracking will continue to impact the state of Texas and those connected to the industry in multiple ways - economically, politically and environmentally.

The first commercial fracking job was in Duncan, Oklahoma on March 17, 1949, according to API.

American Shales Add Jobs and Oil Production

September 27, 2011 Kenny DuBose

American shale plays, such as the Eagle Ford and Bakken, might produce as much as 2-3 million barrels of oil per day by 2020. A recent report by the National Petroleum Council (NPC) and American Petroleum Institute (API) suggest shales might also add 1 million jobs over the next 10 years. That's an employment boom this country needs. The oil & gas industry already supports some 9 million American jobs. As people get hired it will be hard to refute, but we all have to work to help the rest of the nation understand that American energy creates American jobs.

America needs energy. America needs jobs. A way to get them both is right under our feet.

A recent report by the National Petroleum Council says the United States has a more abundant supply of oil and natural gas than previously believed. The report concludes that by 2035 America could be producing 2 million to 3 million barrels of oil per day from shale formations, including the Bakken shale in North Dakota and Montana and the Eagle Ford shale in Texas.

The Sept. 15 report forecasts that under the most optimistic assumptions, America and Canada combined could produce up to 22.5 million barrels of oil per day, if the U.S. lifts regulatory barriers. This would allow America to reduce its reliance on oil from other parts of the world.

Read the full news release at thehill.com

Jadela - GasFrac’s Eagle Ford El Indio #1-H Propane Frack Test

September 9, 2011 Kenny DuBose

Jadela's El Indio #1-H Eagle Ford well that was completed with a GasFrac propane frack or LPG frack was tested over the past couple of weeks. The companies injected over 225,000 gallons of liquid propane and butane into the formation. The well test results are a little difficult to interpret because production was limited by the LPG fluid recovery system. The most recent 24 hr period produced 210 barrels of oil and 706 mcf. It's still early to declare success, but those aren't bad numbers for Maverick County, TX. It will be interesting to see just how much propane and butane Jadela was able to recover. LPG's are expensive frack fluids, but you get to resale the fluid if it can be recovered.

Jadela Oil Corp. wishes to announce that the El Indio #1-H well produces oil, gas, butane and other hydrocarbons. Approximately 5,360 barrels of liquid propane/butane were injected into the formation to fracture the well. The majority of this propane/butane is expected to be recovered and resold or used for fracturing subsequent wells. The well was flowed for 58.75 hours from August 27, 2011 to August 31, 2011. The well was then shut in in order to test the purity of the recovered propane/butane for resale purposes. The well was reopened on September 3, 2011 and is currently producing. The well is expected to be produced for the next 7 to 10 days while the tie-in pipeline and permanent treatment facility, storage tanks and trucking terminal are being constructed.
The permanent treatment facility/trucking terminal is located two miles away from the El Indio #1-H wellsite on Highway 1021. Oil flow and gas flow are restricted by the capacity of the propane/butane recovery equipment. As of September 6, 2011 (6:00am)(122.75 flowing hours) the well had produced 969 bbl of oil (210 bbl in last 24 recorded hours) and gas of 13.978 MMscf (0.706 MMscf in last 24 recorded hours) or alternatively stated a boe/d of approximately 327 boe/d (for last 24 recorded hours) from a 2,400 foot lateral with an 8 stage frac (2 of which were not fully fracced) with the flow rate choke restricted to 10/64 of an inch. The oil recovery rate is increasing as the propane/butane from the frac is recovered. Jadela is in the process of acquiring additional equipment to increase the propane recovery rate.
When drilling El Indio #1-H, Jadela drilled a pilot hole and logged the pilot hole with the following log suites: DSL/HDIL/ZDL/CN/GR/Sonic. A total of 25 sidewall cores were obtained over the 186 foot Lower Eagleford formation. In the El Indio #1-H wellpath/frac zone (excluding certain anomalous results) the lab results as prepared by Core Laboratories LP (independent laboratories) showed TOC of 5.0 - 6.5% with a carbonate percentage of 50 - 60%. Total (ambient) porosity (MR Shale TM Analysis - Core Laboratories LP) ranged from 10 - 15% and total percentage pore volume occupied by oil ranges from 37% to 79%. The oil produced has an API gravity of 40.3 degrees according to Fesco, Ltd (independent engineers).